Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Subsection 25 – Subsection 28
Quest. 25. Of the testimonie cited v. 21. out of the Prophet Hosea.
1. Concerning the allegation of the words there is some difference: for both the order of them is inverted, and the words themselues somewhat altered, for that clause, which the Apostle putteth last, is first in that place, Hos. 1.23. and where the Apostle saith, I will call her beloued, which was not beloued, the Prophet saith, I will hauehave merciemercy on her, that was not pitied: S. Peter in alluding to this place, 1. epist. 2.10. he keepeth the same words, but he changeth the order, ye were in times past not vnderunder merciemercy, but now hauehave obtained merciemercy: this part of the sentence he maketh the last, which with the Prophet is the first: to reconcile this doubt, 1. the vulgar Latine retaineth both, beloued, which was not beloued, and shee which obtained not merciemercy, hath obtained merciemercy: but Beza coniectureth well, that one of these was put into the text out of the margen, by the vnskilfull writers: for there is but one in the originall. 2. Hierome to whom Erasmus subscribeth, thinketh there were two readings of this place: some had foreign, not beloued, some foreign, not pittied, and the letter he would rather to be receiued: but seeing the first reading is in the auncient originall, as appeareth by the Syriake translation, it is therefore the rather to be preferred. 3. wherefore I approoue Iunius solution, lib. 2. parall. 13. and Pareus in this place, that the Apostle in citing these testimonies doth followe the sense rather, then the words, for breuitie sake, and the better to apply them to his present purpose.
2. But as touching the scope of that place, and the meaning of the words, whereas the Prophet seemeth directly to speake of the Israelites, the question is, how the Apostle applyeth it to the Gentiles. 1. Origen answeareth that God speaketh not in mountaines and rockes, and other terrene places, but in the heart, there the conscience telleth euerie one whether he belong to the people of God or not, &c. But this is not sufficient to looke vntounto the inward testimonie of the heart, we must hauehave also externall testimonie from the Prophets of the calling of the Gentiles, otherwise the Iewes will not be answeared.
3. Therefore Chrysostome thinketh, that the Apostle maketh this collection à pari, from aparitie and equalitie, Erasmus saith, à simili, from the like, that seeing the Israelites for their sinne were cast off to be no people, they were in the same case with the Gentiles, that were no people also, and therefore aequa ratione vocentur, they may with as good right be called. 3. some of our newe writers, as Calvin, Pet. Martyr, thinke that the vocation of the Gentiles is prooued out of this place by a certaine consequent: for the Prophets vse, when they denounce iudgements against the people for their sinnes, to raise them vp with spirituall comfort againe in Christ, and vbi erigitur regnum Christi, where the kingdome of Christ is set vp, there must be a concurse of all people, from all parts of the world, Calvin.
4. Augustine whom Haymo followeth, vnderstandeth this place of the Iewes, which were no people, when they refused Christ, and said, we knowe not whom he is, but were his people being afterward conuerted vntounto Christ as 3. thousand were called at one sermon by S. Peter, Act. 2. But this had not been to the Apostles purpose, who intendeth to prooue the vocation of some from the Gentiles.
5. Therefore the Prophet directly in that place prophesieth, that they should become the people of God. 1. because the Gentiles were knowne by this name, not the people of God. 2. and of the Israelites literally it cannot be vnderstood, for they neuer returned againe to be a people.
Quest. 26. What is meant by the short summe or account which God shall make in the earth, v. 28.
1. Touching the words here alleadged, they are somewhat diuersly set downe in that place, Isay. 10.21.22. for there the sentence standeth thus, the consumption decreed shall overflowe with righteousnesse: but here the word, ouerflowe is omitted, which some vnderstand of the ouerflowing of the iustice and righteousnesse of God, by the knowledge of Christ, into all the world, Calvin: some of the efficacie of the faith of the Gospel, which shall ouerflowe to wash away and couer their sinnes as an ouerflowing streame doth wash and couer the earth, Osiand. and the word charatz, determined and decreed, is translated abbreviated and shortened, thus the Septuagint doe reade that place keeping yet the sense: which beeing a receiued translation thorough the world which had so continued 300. yeares, the Apostle refuseth not to followe.
2. Concerning the meaning. 1. some interpret this word consummate, to be Christ, who was as it were abbreviated, and shortened in respect of his incarnation, Anacletus epist. 2. Hier. epist. ad Algas. qu. 10. 2. Origen applyeth it to Christs abridging of the law into two precepts, the louelove of God, and our neighbour, and to the short summe or compen… of the faith set forth in the Creede: so also Cypr. de orat. Dom. and Haymo. 3. Tertullian vnderstandeth it of the doctrine of the Gospel which is abridged, the multitude of legall cerimonies beeing cut off. lib. advers. Marcion. so also Chrysostome and Theophylact. 4. Photius vnderstandeth it of the perfection of the Gospel, after the which no other doctrine shall succeed, as it succeeded the law. 5. Ambrose lib. de Tobia. c. 50. referreth it to the consummation or consumption of our sinnes in Christ. 6. Gorrhan wresteth it to the counsels of perfection giuen in the Gospel, which the law had not: but all these are wide; for the Apostle here mindeth not any comparison betweene the law and Gospel.
3. Therefore this sense is not agreeable to the scope of the Apostle, to vnderstand by this short summe, the finall remainder of the Israelites, that should be saued: that like as few of them returned from the captiuity of the Chaldeans which the Prophet historically intendeth, so but a few of them should come vntounto Christ, from the captiuitie of sinne and Sathan: and so the Apostle to this ende alleadgeth these testimonies to prooue by the Prophets the abiection of the Iewes, as he out of the former affirmed the vocation of the Gentiles.
Quest. 27. Why God is called the Lord of hostes. v. 29.
1. In the Greeke the Hebrew word Sabaoth is reteined, which signifieth hostes: 1. Faius giueth this reason, why some Hebrew words are reteined in the Greeke, and some Greeke in the Latine, as kirieleeson, Lord hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus, yea and some Latine words are still kept in the Greeke originall, as Modius, quadrans, consul, Centurio, and the like, that there might appeare vnum corpus ecclesiae, but one bodie of the Church, consisting of all these languages. 2. But a better reason is rendred by Beza annotation: that these Hebrew words beeing familiarly knowne, were still vsed of the Christians, because from the Iewes and Hebrewes first was deriued the Christians faith, and so from the Greekes to the Romans: And the reason why some latine termes were taken vp by the Grecians, was the large dominion of the Romanes, who together with the bounds of their Empire, did also propagate their language. 3. but these peregrine and strange words were not vsed vponupon any superstition, as though there were any holinesse in the words: as the Romanists for that cause may seeme to commend the vse of a strange tongue in their seruice.
2. Now God was called the Lord of Sabaoth. 1. some thinke in respect of the starres and host of heauen, which the heathen worshipped, to shew that he was superior to the gods of the heathen. 2. some vnderstand the Angels by these hosts, Lyranus. 3. some Angels, Men, and Deuils, and therefore the Prophet doth say thrice, holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Isay. 6. Gorrhan. 4. some thinke that there is a relation to the hostes of the Israelites, in the middest whereof the Arke went in the wildernes. 5. But rather generally here must be vnderstood the whole host of heauen and earth, Mar. as Gen. 2. … and not onelyonly in respect of the number of them, but propter foreign, for the decent and comely order, wherein all things were made: Faius. 6. and this title is giuen vntounto God in the old Testament, not in the New, to signifie, that the law was then data in timore, giuen in feare, but in the new in louelove, Hug.
28. Quest. What is vnderstood by seede.
1. Origen by this seede vnderstandeth Christ, who as the seede is left in the earth, so he was to be buried, and rise againe, and so fructifie to the euerlasting good of his Church: but for this seede, we had all beene as Sodome, still in our sinnes: Iunius in his parallels vponupon this place misliketh not this application to Christ; thinking, that whereas the Prophet hath the word sarid, remnant, the Apostle of purpose turned it seede, with reference to Christ, that came of the Iewes; but Beza and Martyr reiect this, as not agreeable to the scope of the Apostle here. 2. Photius in Oecumen. vnderstandeth the Apostles, but for whose preaching, the whole world had beene left in their sinnes as Sodome. 3. Gorrhan interpreteth this seede to be the word, without the which we had beene as Sodome and Gomorrha, paret essemus in poena. quia similes in culpa, we should hauehave beene equall in punishment, because like in sinne. glosse ordinar. 4. But the Prophet hath relation to the ouerthrow and destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha, wherein there were none left, Chrysost. saue onelyonly Lot and his companie, who were strangers, and so not of the citie: so without Gods merciemercy the people had beene vtterly destroied in the captiuitie of Babylon, if the Lord had not reserued a remnant to himselfe: and so when Christ came to offer them spirituall deliuerance, the whole nation generally refused him, onelyonly a small number cleaued vntounto Christ: thus Martyr, Pareus.